Flexible Payment Models Support Broadband Expansion In Africa

Informal Economy Drives New Broadband Strategies Across Africa

More than 80% of the workforce in Africa operates within the informal economy, creating both challenges and opportunities for broadband expansion across the continent, according to a recent study by Omdia.

The report, titled Broadband And The Informal Economy In Africa, examined the barriers to expanding digital connectivity in markets dominated by informal workers and businesses operating outside formal economic structures.

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Broadband Challenges In The Informal Economy

According to the study, the informal sector continues to expand amid high unemployment, underemployment, poverty and gender inequality across many African economies. Those structural conditions complicate broadband deployment and reduce the effectiveness of traditional fixed billing models, particularly for consumers with irregular income streams and limited financial flexibility.

Variable earnings and the absence of formal employment structures have also increased demand for lower-cost and more flexible connectivity options.

Mobile Broadband And Prepaid Fibre Solutions

Telecommunications providers are increasingly relying on mobile broadband infrastructure and prepaid fibre services to address those challenges. Flexible payment models are gaining traction across the market because they better align with the financial realities of informal workers and small businesses. Prepaid connectivity services also reduce the need for long-term contracts and fixed monthly commitments.

The study identified mobile broadband networks as a key driver of digital access across underserved communities.

Implications And Strategic Recommendations

Thecla Mbongue said the informal economy represents both a challenge and an opportunity for broadband expansion in Africa. The report also examined smartphone adoption trends and alternative device financing models designed to lower access barriers for lower-income consumers.

Researchers emphasized the importance of understanding connectivity usage patterns and payment preferences within informal markets when designing broadband services.

A Roadmap For Inclusive Growth

The study recommended that policymakers and telecommunications providers develop business models tailored to consumers with irregular incomes and limited access to formal financial systems. Prepaid fibre services without long-term contractual obligations were highlighted as one potential solution for expanding digital inclusion.

As digital services become increasingly important for economic participation, mobile broadband and flexible payment systems are expected to play a larger role in expanding connectivity across Africa.

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Europe’s Deadly Summer Heat Exposed The Cost Of A Warming Continent

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 23, 2026

Europe experienced its deadliest summer for heat-related deaths on record in 2026, with an estimated 24,400 excess deaths linked to extreme temperatures across 30 countries. Researchers estimate that human-induced climate change was responsible for around 32,000 of the deaths attributed to heat in the study’s broader analysis, accounting for 65% of the total.

The findings highlight the growing public-health consequences of global warming, largely driven by fossil fuel use, as extreme heat becomes more frequent and severe.

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A Summer Of Dangerous Heat

Between June and August, heatwaves pushed temperatures in Western Europe to an average of 2.9°C above the 1991–2020 norm, with some days reaching 12°C above average. Nearly a third of estimated heat-related deaths occurred during a particularly intense heatwave between 17 June and 1 July.

“These numbers are a stark reminder that our hotter, more extreme summers are having an increasingly severe impact on public health,” said Dr Clair Barnes, a researcher at Imperial College London and co-author of the study.

The estimated toll exceeded previous peaks of around 29,000 deaths in summer 2022 and 28,000 in 2003 across the region studied.

How Researchers Estimated The Toll

Researchers modelled the relationship between temperature and mortality across 854 urban areas in the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland, covering around 40% of the population in the 30 countries studied.

The analysis incorporated temperature records, age, socioeconomic conditions, environmental factors and access to healthcare. By comparing actual temperatures with those expected without human-induced warming, the team estimated the additional deaths attributable to climate change.

Final official mortality figures for summer 2026 are not yet available in many countries, and heat-related deaths are often underreported because their effects can be difficult to identify directly.

Older People Face The Greatest Risk

People aged 85 and over accounted for roughly half of the estimated deaths. However, the impact extended across age groups, with around 800 excess deaths among adults aged 20–44 and approximately 6,000 among people under 65.

Southern Europe experienced the highest mortality burden, reflecting hotter temperatures and other vulnerabilities, including air pollution, limited green space and unequal access to healthcare and heat-alert systems.

Italy, France And Spain Record Highest Toll

Italy recorded an estimated 13,303 heat-related excess deaths, followed by France with 7,268 and Spain with 6,824. Germany recorded around 6,340, while the UK saw an estimated 4,354 deaths.

In the UK, the heat also placed significant pressure on healthcare services. Andrew Hartle, Professor of Practice of Anaesthesia at Imperial College Healthcare, said demand during the summer resembled that of a severe winter virus season.

Cities Urged To Strengthen Heat Protection

Researchers say cities can reduce the risks through climate shelters, external shading and building retrofits, alongside measures to help residents avoid exposure during the hottest hours. Checking on vulnerable people, staying hydrated and following heat alerts are also important.

The researchers stress that adaptation must go hand in hand with reducing fossil fuel use to limit further warming. The findings underline that extreme heat is already a major public-health threat across Europe, with thousands of lives at risk each summer.

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